Sacajawea

Sacajawea was born in about 1780. A member of the Shoshone tribe, she was captured by a group of Minnetaree warriors and eventually sold to Toussaint Charbonneau, a French-Canadian mountain man, in 1794. Charbonneau taught her to speak English and in February 1805 the couple met Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. They were asked to become interpreters and guides for the Corps of Discovery expedition. Although Sacajawea was only 16 and pregnant, she accepted the offer.
On April 7, 1805, the expedition headed West. The Lewis and Clark party saw the Rocky Mountains for the first time on May 26, 1805. They proceeded up the Missouri River, eventually reaching the Great Falls of the river in Montana. It took the party 24 days to get around the falls. The party was now in Shoshoni territory and Sacajawea began to recognize landmarks and helped guide the party to the Columbia River. She was also able to introduce Lewis and Clark to her brother, Chief Cameahwait. Although reunited with her family, Sacajawea, who now had a young son called Jean Baptiste, decided to continue with her work as a guide to the Corps of Discovery. Over the next weeks the party encountered several Indian tribes including the Nez Perce, Chinooks, and Clatsops. On December 7, 1805, the expedition reached the Pacific Ocean. The men built a fort and remained there until heading east the next spring. On the return trip Sacajawea successfully guided the party through the mountains of Montana. She left Meriwether Lewis and William Clark when they reached the Minnetaree village that she had left the previous year. It is unclear what happened to Sacajawea after this. John Luttig claimed she died of putrid fever on December 20, 1812. However, William Clark claimed this was one of Charbonneau's other Indian wives. Another story says that Sacajawea rejoined the Shoshone tribe and died on April 9, 1884.